Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Wet, damp, moist: The state of an object or surface having absorbed or been covered with liquid, typically water.
   • Tearful, moist (eyes): Describing eyes that are filled with or glistening with tears.
   • (Vulgar, figurative) Weak, limp, lacking strength or vigor: Used to describe a style (e.g., of writing or speech) that is overly sentimental, feeble, or lacking force.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Quần áo phơi ngoài trời mưa nên bị ướt hết. (The clothes hanging outside got completely wet in the rain.)
  • Cô ấy xúc động đến nỗi đôi mắt ướt lệ. (She was so moved that her eyes were moist with tears.)
  • Bài văn của anh ấy có giọng điệu ướt quá, thiếu sức thuyết phục. (His essay has a tone that is too weak/sentimental, lacking persuasiveness.)

Advanced Usage

• "ướt như chuột lột" (idiom): Soaking wet, drenched to the skin.
  • Trời mưa to, tôi về nhà ướt như chuột lột. (It was raining heavily; I came home soaking wet.)
• "ươn ướt" (reduplicative form): Slightly wet, damp; or (figuratively) excessively weak, indecisive, or sentimental.
  • Sau cơn mưa nhỏ, mặt đường còn ươn ướt. (After the light rain, the road surface was still damp.)
  • Anh ta có tính cách ươn ướt, khó đưa ra quyết định. (He has a weak/indecisive character, finding it hard to make decisions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ướt át (adj): Excessively sentimental, mawkish (often used for artistic style or emotion).
  • Bộ phim tình cảm đó có phần ướt át. (That romance movie is somewhat mawkish.)
• Làm ướt (verb phrase): To make something wet, to moisten.
  • Đừng làm ướt sách. (Don't get the book wet.)
• Độ ẩm (n): Humidity, moisture (the general state of the air).
  • Độ ẩm không khí hôm nay rất cao. (The air humidity is very high today.)

Synonyms

• Ẩm: Damp, humid (often describing a general state like air or weather, less soaked than "ướt").
• Đẫm: Soaked, drenched (implies being thoroughly wet, often with liquid).
• Nhão: Soggy, mushy (often for food or ground that has become unpleasantly wet and soft).

Related Phrases

• Ướt sũng: Sopping wet, thoroughly drenched.
  • Cơn mưa rào khiến tôi ướt sũng. (The downpour left me sopping wet.)
• Mắt ướt: Tearful eyes.
  • Nghe tin buồn, cô ấy có đôi mắt ướt. (Hearing the sad news, she had tearful eyes.)

Related Idioms

• Ướt như chuột lột: (Literally: as wet as a skinned mouse) Soaking wet, drenched to the bone.
  • (Example provided in Advanced Usage.)
• Nước mắt ướt đẫm: (Literally: tears soaking wet) Brimming with tears, crying profusely.
  • Cô gái khóc, nước mắt ướt đẫm khăn tay. (The girl cried, her handkerchief soaked with tears.)

adj

1. wet